Determination of Heroin in Urine by Molecularly Imprinted Polymer-Based Solid-Phase Extraction and UV–Vis Spectrophotometry

Al-bayati, Yehya Kamal; Jber, Nasreen Raheem

doi:10.32894/kjms.2026.168634.1279

	Determination of Heroin in Urine by Molecularly Imprinted Polymer-Based Solid-Phase Extraction and UV–Vis Spectrophotometry
Kirkuk Journal of Medical Sciences
Volume 14, Issue 1, January 2026, Pages 46-55 PDF (1.36 M)
Document Type: Original research
DOI: 10.32894/kjms.2026.168634.1279
Authors
Yehya Kamal Al-bayati^* ¹; Nasreen Raheem Jber²
¹Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
²Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq
Abstract
Background: Determination of heroin in urine is challenging because of matrix interference and heroin instability; therefore, this study aimed to develop a selective molecularly imprinted polymer-based solid-phase extraction method coupled with UV–Vis spectrophotometry for heroin determination in urine. Methods: Heroin-imprinted polymers were synthesized by precipitation polymerization using benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as initiator, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as crosslinker, and either N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide (HEAA) or 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (TMSPMA) as functional monomers. Template removal was performed by Soxhlet extraction. Polymer formation and template removal were evaluated using FT-IR spectroscopy. MIP particles were packed into syringe SPE cartridges and applied to heroin-spiked urine samples (40–80 ppm). Heroin was quantified by UV–Vis spectrophotometry at 230 nm after MISPE clean-up and reconstitution in ethanol, using a global calibration curve (20–100 ppm). Results: The UV–Vis calibration curve was linear across 20–100 ppm (A = 0.0146C − 0.0607; R2 = 0.9999). In urine matrix experiments (n = 3 replicates per level), recoveries ranged from 97.0% to 102.75%, with repeatability RSD = 1.24–3.83%. The global limit of detection was 0.010 ppm. Conclusion: MISPE using heroin-imprinted polymers coupled with UV–Vis at 230 nm is a practical approach for determining heroin in spiked urine with acceptable within-run performance; however, expanded validation (selectivity and stability testing) is recommended for forensic-defensible application.
Keywords
Heroin; Diacetylmorphine; Urine; Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP); MISPE; UV–Vis spectrophotometry

Statistics Article View: 236 PDF Download: 303